Electricity from scratch

[EquisDeXD]

ow exactly did modern electricity become available? Let's say I was stuck on an island which contained every naturally occurring element. How could I make modern lighting from scratch?

[studiot]

Well modern electricity is only availble in 2012.

Historic electricity was available in 2011 and has been available since the early 1800s.

 

On your desert island you could follow the early career of Andrew Crosse, who powered his stately home by electricity.

Don't follow his later path though since his experiments caused the house to burn down.

Edited October 3, 2012 by studiot

[swansont]

The earliest sources were voltaic piles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltaic_pile

[EquisDeXD]

The earliest sources were voltaic piles

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Voltaic_pile

 

Ok, so if I stack two metals, that somehow generates electricity? But where does the energy to generate that electricity come from? And how wouldn't I run out of it? Do I really just have to rub them together and the contact tension would generate it?

Edited October 3, 2012 by EquisDeXD

[swansont]

Ok, so if I stack two metals, that somehow generates electricity? But where does the energy to generate that electricity come from? And how wouldn't I run out of it? Do I really just have to rub them together and the contact tension would generate it?

You would run out of it, eventually. I don't see where that was one of the constraints.

 

You could build a generator if you had some wire and magnets.

[John Cuthber]

The energy comes from the energy used to smelt the ore to make the metal (usually zinc) that is used up as the pile generates electricity.

[swansont]

Dissimilar metals have a potential difference between them because of their relative affinity for electrons. If you have a way for that current to flow (often some electrolytic solution), you have a battery.

[EquisDeXD]

Dissimilar metals have a potential difference between them because of their relative affinity for electrons. If you have a way for that current to flow (often some electrolytic solution), you have a battery.

 

Ok, well that's kind of cool I guess, so the potentially energy into making the elements into the materials is the energy that get's released via using an electric current?

Edited October 4, 2012 by EquisDeXD

[swansont]

Ok, well that's kind of cool I guess, so the potentially energy into making the elements into the materials is the energy that get's released via using an electric current?

In some cases, sort of. Some metals are simply not found in nature in their elemental state, so they tend to be much more able to react when you've purified them. But even for ones that are you can do this. Elements have different electron affinities.

[Joatmon]

The junction of two different metals can convert heat (say of the sun) into an electrical potential which would drive a current. Such an arrangement is known as a thermocouple. I don't know of the application providing useful amounts of power though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermocouple

[derek w]

If you had lemon trees growing on your island,you would have a source of citric acid,for the voltaic pile.

[efzauner]

kinda a long answer... you would have to develop metalurgy and smelting technology. Copper for conductors, iron for magnetics if you want to make generators. Tungsten for lights, but then you would also have to develop vacuum pumps also! Or use carbon arc lighting that was invented before the incadenscent light bulb anyway.

 

Voltaic piles is just a fancy word for battery or cell. The french word for cell is pile.

Dissimilar metals. Usually zinc and copper in an acid would work fine.

 

May be faster to build a raft and sail your way back to civilization!

[EdEarl]

Salt water is an electrolyte, it should work with copper and zinc for the anode and cathode of the battery. Copper for wiring is difficult, because it needs to be very pure. First you must smelt the copper and then use electrolysis to purify it. Then, you can make wire.

 

The light bulb is difficult because you need a really good vacuum, glass, and a filament. Modern incandescent bulbs have tungsten filaments, but tungsten has a very high melting temperature. IDK if coal or coke would be hot enough to melt tungsten, and IDK what process is used to smelt and purify it. Edison used carbon for his first light bulb, but they do not last as long as tungsten.

 

A mercury vapor lamp is easier to make than an incandescent lamp, and more efficient. Mercury is poisonous, however.

Edited June 15, 2013 by EdEarl

[DevilSolution]

Physically other than an electro-chemical reaction (lead-(sulphuric) acid / lithium-ion etc) you need a magnet and a conductive coil. The mechanics behind the spinning mechanism will need "SOME" source of fuel, gas, wood, muscle etc.... conventionally steam is created which turns a turbine..........

 

Magnetism and electricity are one and the same, therefor the process spinning either a magnet around a coil or coil around a magnet "pushes" electrons down the coil, 3 magnets are used with a single ground usually and pushed to very high voltages, a transformer is used to knock the voltage down to 230/40 for household appliances, if you wish to store the electricity in a battery you will need to ionize an electrolyte which are generally highly acidic, so if you plan on making and storing electricity you need to make a coil / magnet mechanism that feeds an electrolyte solution.

 

Chemically you wouldnt need many base elements:

 

Copper, Iron, Sulphur, Lead .... etc

Edited June 16, 2013 by DevilSolution

[EdEarl]

The mechanics behind the spinning mechanism will need "SOME" source of fuel, gas, wood, muscle etc.... conventionally steam is created which turns a turbine..........

Both air and water flow can turn an axle connected to a generator to make electricity.

 

generally highly acidic

Yes, but any electrolyte will work, including bases and salts.

 

3 magnets are used with a single ground usually and pushed to very high voltages, a transformer is used to knock the voltage down to 230/40 for household appliances,

A single magnet is sufficient. High voltage is not required. A transformer implies alternating current (AC), but some generators make direct current (DC).

 

Batteries only store DC; thus, an AC generator needs a rectifier and filter to store its energy in a battery.

[DevilSolution]

Both air and water flow can turn an axle connected to a generator to make electricity.

 

Yes, but any electrolyte will work, including bases and salts.

 

A single magnet is sufficient. High voltage is not required. A transformer implies alternating current (AC), but some generators make direct current (DC).

 

Batteries only store DC; thus, an AC generator needs a rectifier and filter to store its energy in a battery.

 

Thats true, you could use the water as a mechanical method of preserving electricity, the 3 phrase is good because it can be turned easily into an electrical motor.

Edited June 16, 2013 by DevilSolution

[EdEarl]

Yeh true, 3 phrase is good because it can be turned easily into an electrical motor.

True, but here in the US, homes are not wired with 3 phase.

[John Cuthber]

3 phase is great for transmitting power over large distances and running big industrial motors.

The thread is about electricity "from scratch".

Now, if you have lots of high purity copper wire you can use it to build a generator and a motor and a link between them.

Or you can put the steam engine or water wheel near then thing you want to rotate and use a shaft or belt to drive it.